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SPORTS Saturday 15 July 2017

Into 11th Wimbledon final, Federer faces Cilic for 8th title

said about Federer, “(the) pened many, many times facing break points at 15-
place where he feels the this week.” 40: 107 mph (173 kph) ace,
best and knows that he And most of the 15,000 or 116 mph (187 kph) ace,
can play the best game.” so people in attendance 120 mph (194 kph) service
Since equaling Pete Sam- were pulling for him. That winner, 119 mph (192 kph)
pras and William Renshaw was evident throughout Fri- ace. In the very next game,
(who played in the 1880s) day, from the cries of “Go, he surged to a 4-3 lead by
with a seventh trophy at Roger!” to the roars of ap- breaking Berdych. That was
Wimbledon in 2012, Feder- proval and thunderous ap- pretty much that.
er has come this close be- plause that greeted some “I was able to come up
fore to No. 8. But he lost to of his best efforts on a day with the goods when it
Novak Djokovic in the 2014 when he was not necessar- mattered,” Federer said.
and 2015 finals. ily at his vintage, wondrous The No. 7-seeded Cilic was
Here comes another best. not able to do that in the
chance. The down-the-line fore- opening tiebreaker against
Federer would be the old- hand passing winner that Querrey, the first man from
est man to win Wimbledon landed right on the oppo- the U.S. in any major semifi-
in the Open era, which site baseline in the second nals since 2009.
dates to 1968; as it is, he’s set, leaving Berdych slump- At 6-all, Cilic seemed dis-
the oldest finalist since Ken ing his shoulders. Or the tracted by a delay of a
Rosewall was 39 in 1974. no-look, flicked backhand couple of minutes when a
“I mean, I don’t see any- winner several games lat- spectator who appeared
thing that would indicate er that not many players to feel ill was helped from
really Roger is getting old- would even try, let alone her seat and out of the
er or anything like that,” manage to do. stands. When action re-
said Berdych, who wore Or the way he extricated sumed, Cilic flubbed two
sneakers with a silhouette himself from a sticky situa- backhands to cede the
of Djokovic’s face on the tion down 3-2 in the third, set.q
Switzerland’s Roger Federer returns to Czech Republic’s Tomas
Berdych during their Men’s Singles semifinal match on day elev- tongue because his own
en at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Friday, usual shoes were uncom-
July 14, 2017. fortable.
Associated Press “He’s just proving his great-
ness in our sport.”
By HOWARD FENDRICH (4), 7-6 (4), 6-4 in the semi- Also noteworthy: This is Fe-
AP Tennis Writer finals Friday. derer’s second major final
LONDON (AP) — They love “It’s great, but it doesn’t of 2017. After losing in the
their history around these give me the title quite yet. Wimbledon semifinals last
parts and they love Roger That’s why I came here this year, he took the rest of
Federer and, above all, year,” Federer said. “I’m so 2016 off to let his surgically
they love watching him close now, so I just got to repaired left knee heal.
make history. stay focused.” He came back fit and re-
Now he stands one victory He has won every set he’s freshed and won the Aus-
from an unprecedented played in six matches, and tralian Open in January for
eighth Wimbledon men’s while he did not exactly his record-extending 18th
singles championship af- dominate against the 11th- Grand Slam title and first
ter qualifying for his 11th seeded Berdych, Federer anywhere in 4½ years.
appearance in the final, was never in much trou- “Giving your body rest
breaking a record he al- ble. On Sunday, Federer from time to time is a good
ready held. will face 2014 U.S. Open thing, as we see now,” Fe-
Just weeks from turning 36, champion Marin Cilic, who derer said. “And I’m happy
and a father of four, Feder- reached his first Wimble- it’s paying off because for
er continued his resurgent don final by eliminating a second, of course, there
season and unchallenged 24th-seeded Sam Querrey is doubts there that maybe
run through this fortnight of the U.S. 6-7 (6), 6-4, 7-6 one day you’ll never be
at the All England Club by (3), 7-5 with the help of 25 able to come back and
conjuring up just enough aces and some terrific re- play a match on Centre
brilliance to beat 2010 run- turning. Court at Wimbledon. But
ner-up Tomas Berdych 7-6 “This is his home court,” Cilic it happened, and it’s hap-